Pump



Feb. 24, 1953 F, R, LADD 2,629,328

PUMP

Filed sept. 2e, 19'47 zsaEETs-SHEET 1 f@ l\ i a//L/ 48\ Feb. 24, 1953 Filed Sept. 26. 194'? F. R. LADD 2,629,328

PUMP

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 3o il afnam/ar @yd W. Zaao Patented Feb. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to a portable grease gun and more particularly to a portable i grease gun structure having a vacuum motor means operable from the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine.

It is an object of the invention among others to provide a grease gun structure that is compact and of a size easily handled so as to be portable and easily transported from place to place by one person.

It is another object of the invention to provide a portable grease gun structure that is particularly adapted to lubricate farm machinery in the iields by attaching the grease gun structure to an internal combustion engine on a tractor to receive power to operate the grease gun structure.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a portable grease gun structure that is simple in construction and operation, easy to operate and economical both in construction and operation; a portable grease gun structure that is long lasting and durable in operation, requiring few repairs with less time lost in operation; a portable greasegun structure that is easy to operate, simple in design and easy of repair in case of breakdown; and a portable grease gun structure that requires no special skill on the part of an operator toconnect to an intake manifold of a tractor and to a fitting.

With. the foregoing` and other objects in View,

with and will be particularly pointed out in the' claims appended hereto.

In the drawings, wherein like symbols refer to like or correspondingparts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the grease gun structure shown attached to a tractor.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view with certain parts of the grease gun structure broken away.

Figure 3 is a sectional view through the center of the lower end of the pump within the grease gun structure with the section cut being through the circular plane 3.

Figure 4 is a schematic view of the lower end of the pump of the grease gun structure showing the piston of the pump moving downward.

Figure 5 is a schematic view of the lower end of the pump of the grease gun structure showing the piston of the pump moving upward.

, 'I'he grease gun structure is represented generally at I and is shown in Figure 1 as mounted on top of a grease receptacle 2.

n n A hose 4 ist shown as extending from the grease gun struc-Y ture I to the intake manifold 3 of an .internal combustion engine 5.

At the top of the grease gun structure I is a double acting vacuum motor Ii which has a diaphragm I dividing the housing 8 into chambers 9 and Ill. A piston rod II is attached to and moves with the diaphragm 'I. A valve mechanism within the valve housing I2 operates to alternately connect chamber S with tube 4 and chamber IB with the atmosphere and chamber I Il with tube 4 and chamber 9 with the atmosphere. Vacuum motors of this type are old in the art and are well known in the operation of windshield wipers in the automobile art.

The housing 8 of the Vacuum motor 6 has a ilange I3 extending outwardly around the entire periphery of the housing 8 and has a series of spring fingers I4 around the outer periphery of the flange I3 to fit over a bead I5 on the grease receptacle 2. A cover I6 having handle I'I is attached to the motor housing 8 and serves as a means to transport the grease gun structure I from place to place. When the grease gun struc--vr ture I is'mounted on the grease receptacle 2 by the spring fingers I4, the grease gun structure I and grease receptacle 2 are portable by grasping handle I'I.

A pump I8 is attached below the vacuum motor 6 and is immersed in the grease in container 2. As the pump I8 is actuated by the Avacuum motor 6, by the motor G and pump I 8 having the common piston rod I I, grease is forced through pipe I9 to hose 20. The hose 2t has-a release nozzle 2Ia to attach to fittings through which grease may enter to bearing parts of Vmachinery. The release nozzle 2Ia and the littings to which the release nozzle 2Ia attaches,

and a packing member 24 is included betweenA the housing members 2I and 22.

The piston rod II has a cap housing 25 screw threaded to the piston rod II at 26, which cap housing 25 surrounds the lower end of the piston` rod I I toform with the lower end of piston rod I I the piston of the pump I8. The piston housing 25 contacts packing 2li to seal the space betweenx the piston 25 and the pump housing 2| and the housing 22. Thepacking 24 is a synthetic rubber packing4 of O-sh'ape and vhas been found most satisfactory in sealing and is resistant to deterioration from the grease. The cap housing 25 and the piston rod I have the same type sealing means 21 therebetween and do not depend on the screw threads 25 to seal the joint in view of the pressures developed by the pump I8. The piston 25 reciprocates within the pump housing 2| and seals with the inner cylindrical wall 23 of the pump housing 2| by an O-shaped packing 29 carried in a `groove 33 in the piston 25.

The end of the piston rod II terminates in a socket 3| into which a valve 32 ts. The cap housing 25 has a seat 33 upon which the valve 32 seats. A spring 34 is within the valve 32 and the end of the socket 3| to keep the valve 39" whichl connect into lateral passageways 45.-

The passage 35, space 3l?Y lateral passageways 38', central boreV 38a, central bore 39 and lateral passages 40 form a conduit from a cylinder or chamber 4| in the pump housing 2| below the piston through the valve 32.

The upper portion 42 of the housing'25 is reduced in diameter from the lower portion of the housing 25, which lower portion has a close sliding rit with the inner wall 2S of the pump housing 2| anda shoulder 43 is formed" between the upper and lower portions of the housing Asecond chamber 441s' formed'between the inner wall 28 of the pump housing 2|, shoulder 43, outer wall 42 and a top shoulder 45 in the pump housing member 2|. has passageways 45 connecting with the passageways 49`in th'e piston rod I| and the passageways 46 vin turn connects with the second cham` ber 44;

The second chamber44i'c'onnects `into anoutlet passage 41in an extension 43' connected with the4 pump housing 2|. The extension 48vha`s a check valve 49 thereinsimilar in every respect to theY valve 32 in the piston 2,5 previously described. Thepassage 41 connects into hose 2B and delivers grease under pressure tothe .nozzle 2id.

A` standing valve 59, similar to the valves 32' and 49, is mounted in the bottom ofthe pump housingV 2|' andfheld in placev by a thimble 5IV screw threaded at '2'into the pump housing 2|. The thimble 5| carries a relief valve 53 that can slide through opening 54 in the end of the thimble 5| and the relief valve 53 has a central Vopening 55 therethrough. 'I'he relief valve 53 seats against a housing 56 containing the standing valve 50 and the spring 51 keeps the relief Valve 53 seatedY against the'valve housing 55.

On the upstroke of the piston 25, the pressurethus ciosin'goff chamber 4|'.V rThe valve 32V will' now become unseated and grease will-flow into l On theV upwardfstroke'r ofthe piston 25; va1ve32 again seats and shoulder the' upper chamber 44;

The valve 32 has lateral passageways 38 con-- The cap housing 25' 43 lifts the grease in chamber 44 and forces it under pressure into the outlet hose 20 by valve 49.

In the operation of the grease gun, most farms have a tractor available which has an internal combustion engine thereon and the intake manifold can be tapped and a suitable fitting put thereon to receive hose 4 which may also have a tting in the end thereof to couple with the fitting in the intake manifold. It can be seen that the grease gun I can be attached to a tractor where the intake manifold has a fitting anywhere the tractor is found.

The receptacle 2 may be the receptacle in which grease is supplied by a grease distributor. The flange I3 may be made to handle Vany size receptacle 2l desired. When the grease gun assembly is attached by spring fingers I4 to the receptacle 2, the whole assembled unit may be portable from handle I1. The hose 2B and nozzle 2 Ia connect with regular fitting members Anow employed throughout industry.

The gas from the intake manifold is con` ducted to the valve mechanism |2\ and chambers- 9 and Ill are alternately connected with atmosphere and vacuum as previously explained to reciprocate the piston rod Il which in turn reciprocates piston 25.

Turning now to the schematic view of'Figure'- 5, the piston rod I| is shown as moving upwardly, hencepiston 25 Ais also movingupwardly. A vacuum is created behind the piston 25in chamber 4| with atmospheric pressure forcing greasev from receptacle 2 through the-standing check valve 50'into chamber 4|; Also the piston 2'5l in moving upwardly forces the lubricant from chamber 44, past check valve 49 into hose20.`

On the down strokeof piston 25' as represented schematically in Figure 4, lubricant is forced from the large lower chamber 4|,.by valve 32 in the piston 25 into the smaller uppercham; ber 44. Surplus lubricant,V represented by the difference in displacement between the lower chamber `4I and the upper chamber 44 is forced out the final check valve 49 into the hose 20` providing the resistance to such flow is not greaterrthan the resistancesof the spring/512holdin'g.k relief valve 53 against valve housing'to closevv off chamber 4I. In case resistance inV hose2il'TA is greater than the tensionto whichspring 51 has been calibrated, thenspringv 51 will'b'e conn'V pressed allowing reliefvalve 53`to'unseat andthe grease to return to the receptacle 2.

It will be noted that; by regulating or calibrat-y ing the tension in spring 51 so it is less than thek maximum downward thrust of'thevacuumrmotor 6; the downward stroke willalways be completed` and the upward stroke started, regardless of the resistance or pressure in the outlet greasehose 20;:

grease gun system reached equilibrium'on the upf This is dueto the fact that'a large area stroke. piston isA operating on the downstroke whereasa: small area piston is operating on'the upstrokef.` .As an example the following isset forth: f

Down stroke Thrust of the vacuum motor 350 pounds per square inch Area of piston elfective on the down stroke .800 square inches Resultant pressure..4 437 pounds per square inch Total volume displaced with l inch stroke .100 cubic inches Upstroke Thrust of vacuum motor 350 pounds per square inch Area of piston effective on the upstroke .100 square inches Resultant pressure-. 3500 pounds per square inch Total volume displaced with 1 inch stroke.` .100 cubic inches Thus the pump I8 will force a large volume of grease (.800 cubic inches) per cycle of operation Where only a low pressure is required to force the grease from hose `2i! into a grease ttng- When higher pressure is needed to force the grease from hose into a `itting, the pump I8 continues to operate until the upstroke of the pump builds up suilicient pressure which may reach a maximum of 3500 pounds per square inch.

It will be understood that the invention has been described for purposes of illustration and explanation and that changes and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention; all such modifications and changes are intended to be included in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a conduit having an inlet i way communicating at one end with said valve and at the other end with said outlet, means for reciprocating said piston, a second valve means in said conduit adapted to open and close said inlet and forming a chamber in said conduit between said piston and said second valve, a thimble detachably secured over said inlet; said thimble provided with a iirst and second passageway each connecting with said inlet, a relief valve in said thimble, said relief valve having a bore concentric with said rst passageway in said thimble and said inlet, said second valve means adapted to close the bore in said relief valve at times, said relief valve capable of closing communication between said second passageway in said thimble and said inlet and capable of opening communication between the sam-e while the bore in said relief valve means is closed by said second valve means to provide a relief outlet for material in said chamber.

2. In combination, a conduit having a receiving opening and a discharge opening, a valved piston reciprocal within said conduit, said piston provided with a passageway connecting said piston valve and said discharge opening, means for reciprocating said piston, a check valve in said receiving opening and forming a chamber within said conduit intermediate said valved piston and said check valve, a thimble over said receiving opening, said thimble provided with an inlet and an outlet each of which communicate with said receiving opening, a relief valve in said thimble having a bore concentric with said inlet and communicating with said receiving opening, said 6 check valve capable of closing said bore, and said relief valve normally closing said outlet and capable of opening the same while said bore is closed by said check valve.

3. In combination, a conduit having a receiving opening and a discharge opening, a valved piston reciprocal within said conduit, said piston provided with a passageway connecting said piston valve and said discharge opening, means for reciprocating said piston, a check valve in said receiving opening and forming a chamber within said conduit intermediate said valved piston and said check valve, a thimble over said receiving opening, said thimble provided with an inlet and an outlet each of which communicate with said receiving opening, a spring controlled relief valve in said thimble having a bore concentric with said inlet and communicating with said receiving opening, said check valve capable of closing said bore, said relief valve normally closing said outlet and the spring on the same calibrated to be compressed when a predetermined pressure is reached in said chamber whereby said outlet is opened to provide a relief outlet for material in said chamber.

4. In combination, a conduit having a receiving opening and a discharge opening and adapted to receive and discharge heavy viscous material, a valved piston reciprocal within said conduit, said piston provided with a passageway connecting said piston valve and said discharge opening, means for reciprocating said piston, a check valve in said receiving opening and forcing a pressure chamber within said conduit intermediate said valved piston and said check valve so that on each upward stroke of said piston the material passing through said conduit is drawn into said pressure chamber, on the downward stroke a portion of the material is forced from the pressure chamber to said discharge opening and on the next upward stroke the material is ejected through said discharge opening, said pressure chamber having a maximum working capacity several times greater than said discharge opening so as to receive a quantity of material in excess of the maximum working capabilities of said discharge opening whereby the material is ejected at said discharge opening at a greater pressure than that at which it entered the pressure chamber, and a relief valve means for releasing excess material from said pressure chamber when resistance at said discharge opening is greater than pressure in said chamber, said relief valve means comprising, a thimble over said receiving opening, said thimble provided with an inlet and an outlet each of which communicate with said receiving opening, a relief valve in said thimble having a bore concentric with said inlet and communicating with said receiving opening, said check valve capable of closing said bore, and said relief valve normally closing said outlet and capable of opening the same while said bore is closed by said check valve.

5. In combination, a conduit having a receiving opening and a discharge opening and adapted to receive and discharge heavy viscous material, a valved piston reciprocal within said conduit, said piston provided with a passageway connecting said piston valve and said discharge opening, means for reciprocating said piston, a check valve in said receiving opening and forming a pressure chamber within said conduit intermediate said valved piston and said check valve so that on each upward stroke of said piston the 7v` materialzpassingthroughlaictoonduit"isdrawriz intos saidff; pressure 'fehamben on.;v the dewnward, strokefa .portion-z of the-materialjs forced; from: the pressure chamber to g-saidsdseharge Openings andiomthe nextf upward; strokeE thenmaterialgis ejected .through4 saicb` discharge openingA 4saith pressure chamber ,hai/,inge aemaximum zworkingf; capacity: several;l times greater: than sai-d dis:` chargeopening so Aasto;receivea quantityvof mafter' ini excesszofpjthe maximum workingcapae bilities;V 0iV saidz dischargefiopeningl; whereby;then material ,isiejeeted at said;- diseharge openingat faf, greaten; pressure-thanH thainat whichit:entered z the-pressure.; chlamben; and; a: reliefy Val-ve means@ forireleasingeexcess; materialfrom sa-id pressure chamber-when resistanceaat saidiischarggeopeningiiiszgreatergtharr pressure infsaid chamber, said 1v relefiwalvee means comprising',I ai', thimble over i saidcl receiving; opening, said thimble; providedwith-anginlet Arand anoutlet teach of which com-f 20 Number reciprocating saidpiston., agcheck valve in said receiving opening and forming na nchamber within., saidonduit intermediate. said"va1ved"p iston and" saidcheck` valve, a thimble over'saidvreceiving; opening, said thimble provided' withY an yinlet andH an outlet each of whichcommunicate'at a common point-with said*reeeivingopening; arelef, valve in saidcthimble having'jaboreeconcentric.;

REFERENCES CITED The following:referentesI are of recordin.,the iilesoflthispatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS; 

